The First Day of Kindergarten.

It feels like so much of my job is done. I mean, I KNOW they are still little, and there is so much ahead of us. But there is also so much behind us. Playdates now ride the bus home with her, and I probably won't know the parents. I liked it when their playdates were MY friends' kids. It was more of a playdate for me, I admit, but I trusted them with my kids if I had to run somewhere quickly. Now, these parents - gosh, when I send Molly to THEIR house - what if they have a loaded gun in the house? What if they smoke crack? I need to KNOW this. And I won't. Probably ever. It's hard for me to lose that control I have over their lives.

She now comes home with STORIES. Of what they did. Of who said what. Of who did what, and what the teacher said. She and Michael chit-chat on the walk from the bus stop, comparing days, what they ate for lunch, who had what "special" (art, P.E., music, computer lab, library), and what happened to their friends today. I love to hear it, but it sometimes makes me feel so. What's the word? Disconnected?

Tomorrow she brings her first playdate home on the bus. She's SO excited. I wonder what we'll find fun to do...

It can be hard sending small people you love SO SO SO much out into the world to start spreading their wings. I just hope people are kind to them. I think of that when I'm teaching my class, now that I have kids. I know that these little tots have parents who love THEM as much as I love MINE. It has made me a much different teacher. And I do love those tots. Just for that very reason.